There have been discussions about retire age limit recently. Does it make sense to make people retire at a particular age, say, 55? 60? Some people work well into their 70s and 80s, running families, countries or corporations while other people, despite being fit and highly talented, are forced to retire in their fifties or even earlier. Here I will examine whether people should be allowed to continue working as long as they want or whether they should be encouraged to retire at a particular stage. Some people think there are several reasons for allowing older people to continue working. Firstly, older employees are more experienced and their knowledge can be lost to his company or business if they are made to retire. Secondly, older employees are often extremely loyal and more willing to carry out company policies than younger staff. Another point is related to our society's attitudes to the old. To force someone to retire at 50 or 60 indicates that the society does not value the contribution of these people, which may be regarded as age discrimination. However, others believe that allowing older people to work indefinitely  is not a good policy. Age alone is no guarantee of ability. Old people are ambitious workaholics. Many young employees are more skillful than older staff, who may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives. _ . In addition, without age limits, many people would continue to work purely because they did not have any other plans. Another reason is that older people should be rewarded by society for their life's labor by being given generous pensions and the freedom to enjoy their leisure. We now have youngsters who can't find jobs because old people refuse to retire. This new generation of "old people" may think they will never die due to modern advances in medicine. With many young people unemployed or frustrated in low-level positions, older workers are expected to retire. However, this can affect their right to work. I feel that giving workers more flexibility... The author is likely to agree that   _  ' A) it's not wise to suggest lengthening the retirement age B) it does make sense to set a particular retirement age C) having different retirement age sounds unreasonable D) when to retire should depend on the employees themselves
D


(Question)
Companies trying to market products to mothers need to head onto the Internet with a survey showing the mothers today are online daily, using Facebook to connect to friends and Google to diagnose illnesses. A survey by parenting website BabyCenter.corn found 63% of online mothers now use social media networks such as Facebook regularly, compared to only 11% three years ago."They don't watch TV as much, they are not reading magazines as much, but instead they check Facebook where people are really drawn together over parenting questions," BabyCenter's Editor-in-Chief Linda said."One of the major activities is looking for comments on products.They are information seeking, particularly when it comes to babies, and companies need to realize this." Companies also need to know their market well as mothers are sharing information--and complaints--online regularly. A drug company learned the hard way last November when online mothers found an ad targeting moms to be offensivedl , which result in a hot debate on the micro-blogging site Twitter.The company had to take the video ad down from its website and apologized for any offense caused. The online survey also found that mothers aren't going to the doctor as often.Instead they are using the Internet to find out what is wrong with their children and, when they do go to the doctor, asking which drug they should use rather than for a diagnosis.In online communities children's health issues are the leading topic of interest rating as high as 91 percent followed by childhood development tips at 79 percent and product reviews at 72 percent. What Linda has said suggests   _  . A) mothers online prefer product quality B) mothers often seek opinions before buying C) companies should take mothers' comments seriously D) companies should focus on mothers' likes and dislikes
(Answer)
C


Ques: At some time in your life you may have a strong desire to do something strange or terrible. However, chances are that you don't act on your impulse , but let it pass instead. You know that to take the action is wrong in some way and that other people will not accept your behavior. Perhaps the most interesting thing about the phenomenon of taboo behavior is how it can change over the years within the same society, how certain behavior and attitudes once considered taboo can become perfectly acceptable and natural at another point in time. Topics such as death, for example, were once considered so upsetting and unpleasant that it was a taboo to even talk about them. Now with the publication of important books such as On Death and Dying and Learning to Say Goodbye, people have become more aware of the importance of expressing feelings about death and, as a result, are more willing to talk about this taboo subject. One of the newest taboos in American society is the topic of fat. Unlike many other taboos, fat is a topic that Americans talk about constantly. It's not taboo to talk about fat; it's taboo to be fat. The "in" look is thin, not fat. In the work world, most companies prefer youthful-looking, trim executives to sell their image as well as their products to the public. The thin look is associated with youth, vigor, and success. The fat person, on the other hand, is thought of as lazy and lacking in energy, self-discipline, and self-respect. In an image-conscious  society like the U.S., thin is "in", fat is "out". It's not surprising, then, that millions of Americans have become obsessed with staying slim and "in shape". The pursuit of a youthful physical appearance is not, however, the only reason for America's fascination with diet and exercise. Recent research has shown the critical importance of diet and exercise for personal health. As in most technologically developed nations, the life-style of North Americans has changed dramatically during the course of the last century. Modern machines do all the... From the passage we can infer taboo is  _  . A) a strong desire to do something strange or terrible B) a crime committed on impulse C) behavior considered unacceptable in society's eyes D) an unfavorable impression left on other people
Ans: C


Friendship is always the center in our life. Friends often affect   our health and energy. More and more people are turning towards their friends for support  and sharing. We may have a very unclear understanding of what makes a friend but we all want to have many good friends around us. There are certain steps that can win you friends or at least help you get close to those whom you want to make friends with. The first step to make friends with someone is to make him like you. If they don't like you in the beginning, it is impossible for them to become your friends. To let someone know that you're interested in him, a little smile and calling him by his name can help. To make the other person feel important, you need to be a good listener and encourage  the other person to talk. Give your honest and real opinions but do not make fun of him or her. The second step is to fully understand each other. You need to share his or her opinions. So, it is necessary for you to develop a habit of seeing things from the other person's point of view . The third and final step is to show your support and encouragement towards your friend. What is the main idea of this passage? A) Friendship is less important in our life. B) How to make friends. C) Friends do harm to our health and energy. D) Relatives  can't become friends.

B